Flickr / Wikimedia
What do Trump, Putin, and Bolsonaro have in common? They’ve all botched their coronavirus response so badly they have the three biggest outbreaks In the entire world.
They have responded to the pandemic with false assurances of control, covering their backs, and shifting the blame. And they are apparently too macho for masks.
These three wannabe strong men are a shining example of how weak leaders to respond to a pandemic. Here’s why.
Flickr / The White House
When it comes to How Not to Handle a Pandemic — Donald Trump wrote the textbook. From the moment the White House was aware of the threat of the coronavirus – the President attacked the crisis with a three-pronged pitchfork. One prong being his false assurances minimizing the dilemma: “One day, it’s like a miracle, it will disappear.” The United States is now the global epicenter of the COVID-19 pandemic.
The second prong is the blame-shifting: against China for spreading the “plague” of the “Wuhan Flu,” against the “fake news” from the media, or the “the new hoax” from the Democrats.
Impeach Trump Golfing During Pandemic pic.twitter.com/Gnh8d0Jzeh
— #NotALady (@imblacknproud) April 8, 2020
The third prong is his anxious protection of the economy at all costs. He is encouraging the reopening of states despite experts warning of a second wave of COVID-19. He has been touting (and taking) a dangerous, unproven drug hydroxychloroquine in which he has shares. Throughout the course of the pandemic, the President has openly lied about the risks of the disease to protect confidence in the markets.
The President will stop at nothing to protect his reelection chances. He has thrown employee after employee under the bus, including high-ranking officials who have served for decades in the White House.
His desperate attempt to protect the economy — and himself — may backfire. His pitiful attempts to control the pandemic have indirectly left 36 million Americans jobless. Top economists warn of a financial collapse on par with the Great Depression of the 1930s. Even members of the GOP are beginning to turn their back.
Trump is not alone, however.
Kremlin
Putin has spent the past 20 years in office projecting a display of strength: a strong Russia which annexed Crimea in 2014, a powerful economy, and his self-image of herculean courage. Photoshoots of the Russian leader shirtless on horseback, winning ice-hockey matches (201-nil and Putin scored every goal) and fishing (shirtless again), are on par with neighboring dictator Kim Jong-Un of North Korea. Where is the great Vladimir Putin now?
He is hiding in his country house Novo-Ogaryovo outside of Moscow.
Dictators seem to be in hiding to run away from the bad press and their crashing economies. #KimJongUn is hiding in a resort, #Putin is hiding in a cave. #Russia #USSR #NorthKorea #DPRK #WhereIsPutin pic.twitter.com/iGDr9ondrF
— CCPVirus 🇨🇦 🇺🇦 🇺🇸 (@PXuilo) April 27, 2020
While this sets a much better example to his electorate than charging unmasked into factories à la Trump, the move has dented his popularity at home, and the recent talk of constitutional “reforms” to effectively make him ‘President for Life‘ has thankfully died down.
When it comes to pandemic mismanagement, Russia holds the silver cup. They now have the second fastest-spreading outbreak of COVID-19 in the world, with 308,705 cases and 2,972 deaths. Putin also reacted slowly and with dangerous complacency in the early days of the pandemic. Like Trump, Putin chose to distance himself from responsibility (and blame) by devolving power to the regional governors, left to set their own individual lockdowns.
The novel coronavirus has spread to Putin’s inner circle, with his right-hand man, Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin, in hospital. As Putin self-isolates far from the capital, wealthy oligarchs have stepped up to the plate and taken matters into their own hands. The people are not amused.
Screenshot / Instagram
After the United States and Russia, Brazil has the third-worst outbreak of COVID-19 in the world, and the highest number of deaths in Latin America. The three leaders have had similar tactics in blame-shifting, distancing themselves, and protecting their economies. They have their differences too.
While Trump went golfing, and Putin hid out in his country mansion, Bolsonaro was attending barbeques and jet-skiing at the height of the pandemic.
I got: Jet Ski. Qual objeto você enfiaria no ânus do Bolsonaro? pic.twitter.com/sLDWRfxioP
— Lu 🦠🇧🇷 (@ludmilabighouse) May 13, 2020
As the COVID-19 pandemic ravages the country, Brazil’s system is crumbling. The Justice Minister resigned dramatically last month, alleging the President was meddling in police inquiries. Two of Bolsonaro’s sons are facing criminal charges; the Supreme Court will be investigating Bolsonaro’s alleged obstruction of justice and abuse of power.
Runners up to the Worst Pandemic Response include Turkey’s Erdoğan and Boris Johnson in the UK with his gung-ho message, and confusing lockdown guidelines.
Meanwhile, if we look at the countries which have had the most successful responses to the pandemic, we see they all have one thing in common: women leaders.
